Capiz, July 17 2014 — As part of the Post-Yolanda Support for Safer Homes and Settlement Project funded by the Government of Japan, UN-Habitat will be building 610 houses in around 30 communities in the provinces of Capiz and Iloilo. As the project operates using a community-driven approach, it also includes the training of local skilled workers on construction methods for building strong shelters, as well as the repair and improvement of key community infrastructure such as drainages.
Design of the shelters was developed in collaboration with the Capiz chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) while the structural integrity was checked by the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines. The design is now being finalized even as technical site assessment and beneficiary selection are ongoing.
The house provided by UN-Habitat will be a core house — a strong and safe shelter measuring 4.2 by 5 meters which can be incrementally expanded in the future. Its structural framework is reinforced concrete with a collar beam. The lower walls are made with hollow concrete blocks, while the upper walls are from bamboo infill panels.
The structure has a four-sided hip roof built with a single wooden truss crossing the structure diagonally and supporting other rafters. The design incorporates DRR features such as reinforced attachment of structural elements and can resist up to 200-km/h wind loads.
